Man mistakenly despatched 46.3 mil. yen in COVID funds gambles it all away

A 24-year-old man mistakenly sent 46.3 million yen ($360,000) in COVID-19 aid cash by the western Japan town he resides in, says he gambled all of it away on overseas casino sites, sources close to the matter mentioned Tuesday.

The man is unlikely to have the ability to return the money transferred to him in error by the city of Abu, Yamaguchi Prefecture, in line with his lawyer, who mentioned a resolution via litigation is being thought of.

Abu Mayor Norihiko Hanada speaks to reporters on Could 12, 2022, at the Abu city workplace in Yamaguchi Prefecture, western Japan. (Kyodo)

Talking at a press convention Monday, the lawyer stated the person had advised him that he had moved the cash out of his account using his smartphone. The lawyer stated that the man lives alone and no one else is believed to be concerned in the matter.

Last Thursday, the town sued the man for round 51 million yen for the full return of the funds plus authorized charges. Based on the city, the man had refused to return the cash, saying it was "moved from my account and can't be returned. I'll atone for my sins."

The person's lawyer has refuted claims that he became unreachable after the town filed the lawsuit in opposition to him, saying that police had kept his phone following voluntary questioning in April and Could.

On April 6, after procedures to switch 100,000 yen in COVID-19 reduction cash to every of the 463 low-income households in Abu had been completed, a city official mistakenly submitted a single transfer request to a financial institution for 46.3 million yen for the man whose name was on the high of the record.

Your entire quantity was transferred to the person's bank account on April 8.